Climate: Hottest June on record for Planet Earth

Warm oceans drive widespread record warmth

A NASA climate maps shows much of the globe was warmer than average during June 2014.

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — For the second month in a row, NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center reported that Earth’s average temperature reached a record high, at 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average, and 0.05 degrees Fahrenheit above the previous record, set in 2010.

Nine of the ten warmest Junes on record have all occurred during the 21st century, including each of the past five years. The new record high was driven in part by persistent ocean heat. The June global sea surface temperature was 1.15 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average. surpassing the previous all-time record for any month by 0.09 degrees Fahrenheit. Read the full report here.

Warm temperatures were widespread across land areas as well. Thirty-one countries across every continent, with the exception of Antarctica, reported at least one station with a record warm June temperature.

New Zealand observed its warmest June since national records began in 1909. The warmth was notable for both its intensity and coverage, with above-average temperatures from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island.

France observed its fifth warmest June in the country’s 115-year period of record at 2.3°F (1.3°C) above the 1981-2010 average. A week-long heat wave contributed to the overall warmth for the month.

Parts of Greenland were record warm during June. Kangerlussuaq in southwestern Greenland observed its record highest maximum June temperature of 23.2°C (73.8°F) on June 15, surpassing the previous record of 23.1°C (73.6°F) set in both 1988 and 2002. Records at this station date back to 1958.

According to NOAA, 2014 is now tied with 2002 as the third-warmest year on record through the end of June, just behind 2010 and 1998.

Information compiled from the NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for June 2014, published online July 2014, retrieved on July 22, 2014 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/6.